This invention relates to submersion tanks used to test mounted vehicle tires for leaks, and is particulalry concerned with complete depression of wheel and tire assemblies below a water level in the tank. Heretofore, difficulty has been experienced in the submersion of mounted tires, in that they are bouyant and resist depression, with the result that equilibrium or a level attitude thereof is difficult and not easily obtained. That is, the mounted tire will bob and unexpectedly rise at unpredictable points around its periphery, and all of which causes a stirring action in the water that is adverse to a calm condition required for leak detection. In other words, it has been difficult to depress and to completely submerge a mounted wheel and tire in a quieted condition. Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a leveling depressor for completely submerging mounted wheel and tire assemblies in a quieted level condition.
It is passenger vehicle wheels and tires with which this invention is primarily concerned, in which case the present day range of wheel size enables the leveling depressor to automatically depress any normal wheel assembly into a level condition below water level. It is an object of this invention that the level condition be inherent when the bouyant wheel assembly is depressed, subsequent manipulation being unecessary following a simplified manual insertion and centering effect that results from a lever function. A feature is the self adjusting engagement of the depressor and wheel that inherently centers and levels the bouyant assembly for quieted observation beneath the water surface.
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and practical inspection tank for the submersion of mounted wheels, whereby the tire to be tested for leaks can be placed therein and releasably depressed and held submerged in a quieted condition as quickly as possible, with the assurance that it is level and completely submerged in each instance, and all of which is due to the inherent centering and leveling action of the depressor configuration as it is related to the conventional auto wheel and tire of normal size range.